Accelerator for dry-pipe valves



Jan, 29,1924. 1 m zzsg A. C. ROWLEY ACCELERATORFOR DRY PIPE VALVES Filed April 26. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jam. 29 1924. 1,482,259

A. c. ROWLEY ACCELERATOR FOR DRY PIPE VALVES Filed April 26. 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 2 s9 Q4 5x Jan. 29 1924. 1,482,259

A. C. ROWLEY ACCELERATOR FOR DRY PIPE VALVES Filed April 26. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ture ,fewer parts an anon o.. nowmir v aororrcsrn reunion or application filed April 2%;,

a 0 all whom it may concern: i I

Be it known that I, ARTHUR (LEO an a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Philadel hia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Acce erator for Dry-Pipe Valves, of which the following is a spec1fication.-'

This invention relates to a device for hastening the operation of a dry pipe valve after the openin of one or more of the automatic sprink er heads of a fire guishing system, and one object of said invention is to provide'an accelerator oi simplified and substantial construction, involving relatively few parts and having th so disposed as. to & rmit of their being easily reset after the d vice has operated.

A further ob'ect-of the invention. is to provide an acce orator having its arts so designed and arranged that the li elihood of their sticking or refusing to operate under predetermined conditions is reduced to 'aminimum, and which shall therefore be thoroughly reliable under conditions oi use.

I furthefldesire to provide an accelerator which byreason of its simple and rugged construction shall re uire for its mu acless labor th has hitherto been needed for similar devices of the same class.-

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawin- ,in which,

' ig. 1 is a side elevation of an accelerator constructed in accordance with my invtion; p Fig. 2 is a vertical section on theline 2--2,

Fig. 1;

. ig; '3 is a plan of the accelerator; and

.Fig. i is a plan of the arm for supportin one of the valves or clappers of he acce orator. V r

In accordance with m invention, ll provide a casing having anged up er and lower sections 1 and 2 bolted toget er, the lower section having a relatively large side 1 opening normall closed by .a cover 3. Said lower section is 'vided by a partition 4 into two chambers 5 and 6, of which the first isconnected' through an opening 7 with the riser or other air containing pipe of a fire extinguishing system, The second cber 6 connected through an opening 8 conduitleadin termediate ohmic which may be either of the-moo anical or tion to this rson no one i a con- 'roa sem narwan as. team.

the aospheric crim 1- of adry ipe' valve difierential type.

In the partition 4, I provide a relatively large opening having a valve seat 10 designed to be normally closed by a valve 11 fixed to an arm 12 pivotally mounted on a spindle 13 in the chamber 5.. That portion oi the valve 11 designed to cooperate with the seat 6" is preferably made in the form of a sheet or plate of more or less flexible material such-as rubber and said valve in addi- 7 plate includes a disc 14 concentric therewit 'held to the arm 12-by a bolt 15., This disc is designed to cooperate with the circular end of a conduit '16 extending ilii through the chamber 6 and connecte through an opening 17 with the riser o l the fire extinguishing system. The circular end of the conduit 16. is preferably substantially concentric with the valve seat 10 and the arrangement is such that when it is engaged by the disc 14, the flexible valve 11 likewise therewith by reason of its flexibility' The partition 4, in addition to' thevalve seat in the form of a bushing 18; The letengages said seat 10, making a, tight joint ter is preferably flanged and is designed to"- confine between itsfiange andthe adjacent portion of the partition, a bracket 19 on which is fulcrumed a lever 20 pivotally connected to a valve 21 so mounted as, to cooperate with the seat 18.

The section. 1 of the casing is formed with two partitions 22 and 23 dividin it into chambers 24 and 25, the latter of wch chamber 24 and the chamber 5 of the section 2 and there is formed in the section 1 a passage 26 opening into the chamber 5 and likewise opening on the side of the casing sec, tion 1 in the same plane as the opening 27 from the chamber :25. Fol-connecting the opening 27 with the passage 26, IremoVably bolt or othe connect to the side of the casing section 1 a cover plate 28 in which is formed a passage 29, and in this passe I mount a plate 30 having a relatively sm 1. or restricted orifice 31 therethrough. F-

ico-

, jects beyond the tion 1 and necessarily extends into the pas- Sylphon bellows 38.

" carries a plate 39 having feet capable of and 25 will be the same as Said plate sa e 29 before the bolts 36 can be set up to ho d the cover 28 in place.

The two artitions 22 and 23 have coaxial o enings t erethrough 11. one of which 1s t readed a ring 37 carrying a collapsible or flexible diaphragm element in the form of a This at its upper end engaging the edge of the opening 40 through the partitions 33 and held against said partition by acoil spring 41 carried by a guiding retainer 42 threaded into the ring 37. has connected to its under vface a stem 43 which projects through a central opening in the guiding retainer 42 into engagement with an arm of the lever 20 and the arrangement is such that movement of the plate 39 away from the partition turns said lever on its fulcrum and unseats the valve 21..

With the above parts, it the openings described arrangement of 7 and 17 be connected to the riser or air containing portion of a i 4 fire extinguishing system and if the conduit 9 be connected to the atmospheric or intermediate chamber of a dry pipe valve forming part of said system, it will be appreciated that the pressure in the chamber 6 Will be that of the atmosphere, whenever the valves 21 and 11-14 are closed. At the same time the pressure in the chambers 5, 24 that existing in the riser, since although the spring 41 holds the valve 39 closed, the air entering the opening 7 will flow through the passages 26 and 29 and through the restricted opening 31 into the chamber 25 and around the feet of plate 39 into the chamber 24. The valve 11 will of course remain seated since the pressure in the chamber 5, while equal to that in the .conduit 16, is less than that in the chamber 6.

It now there is a relatively sudden reduc-' tion of the air pressure in the sprinkler system such as would be caused by the opening of a sprinkler head, there is at once a corresponding reduction of the air pressure in the Since however it is not possible for the air under pressure in the chambers 24 and 25 to quickly escape owing to the presence of the plate 30 with its restricted ori fice 31, said air acts upon the plate 39 and moves it away from the partition 23 against the action of the spring 41,--the diaphragm chamber 5.

plate 30 is held in position by a sleeve 32.

ficient to permit said .hand. Inasmuch as the sp 38 collapsing or contracting to permit of this movement. As a result, the stem 43 acts on the lever 20 and unseats the valve 21, thus permitting the escape of the air from the chamber 5 into the atmospheric chamber 6. The valve 11-14 is so designed that this reduction of pressure in the chamber '5 is su fvalve being unseated by the action of the air under pressure in the conduit 16, so that the air is free to pass from the riser through the conduit 16 into the chamber 5 and thence into the chamber 6 from which it flows through the conduit 9 to the intermediate chamber ofv the 'dry pipe valve where it, in. one form of valve, escapes to the atmos here and thus materially hastens the re uction of the air pressurein the riser and the opening of the dry pipe valve.

v In other cases, the air delivered as described through the conduit 9, directly acts on the air clapper of the dry pipe'valve to unseat this, as before reducing the time elapsing between the opening of a sprinkler head and the operation of the dry pipe valve whereby water is supplied'to the system.

In order to restore the device to a condition ready for another operation, any water entering the chamber 6 is drawn off through an opening 50. leading therefrom, after which the removal of the cover plate 3 will permit the valve 11-14 to be re-seated by ring 41 will seat the plate 39 on the partltion 23 when the pressures are the same in the two chambers 5 and 25, the valve 21 is so made as to automatically engagle its seat as soon as this is' permitted by t e upward movement of the valve stem 43. In order to insure the removal of any water which might enter the chambers 24 and 25, I provide a passage 51 leadin therefrom and opening upon the lower %ace of the flange of the casin section 1. In the casing section 2, I provi e a second passage 52 one of whose ends is normally closed b the cover plate 3 and whose opposite end, through a sleeve 53, opens upon the upper face of the flange ofsaid casing section 2. Said sleeve is so mounted as to project into the passage 51 and insure its communication with the passage 50 when the sections of the casing are bolted together. As a consequence of this arrangement, removal of the cover plate 3 opens the passage 52 and permits-the escape therethrough of any water which may have collected in the chamber 24.

From the above description, it will be appreciated that my accelerator is of relatively simple construction and has its parts so constructed and arranged that the likelihood of their failure to operate, from any sudden reduction of premure the riserythe latter is placed in direct communication with theatmospheric chamber of the dry pipe The certainty-of operation is insured the inclusion of the relay ,valve 21 whic provides for the quick reduction of the pressure in the chamber 5 after said pressure has he to fall, insuring the opening of the mam valve 11-14 and the quick fiow of air from the riser to the intermediate chamber of the dry pipe valve.

1 claim: 7 l. The combination in an accelerator for a dry pipe valve of a casinghaving two chambers respectively for connection with the air containing portion of .a fire extinguishing syst 'mediate' chamber of a dry pipe valve; main em and with the interand relay valves normally cutting of? communication between said chambers; vand a pressure controlled diaphragm connected to cause opening of the relay. valve when the pressure is suddenly reduced in saidfire extinguishing-system. V 2..lhe combination in an accelerator for a dry pipe valve of a casing having two chambers respectively for connection with the air containing portion of a fire extinguishing system and with the intermediate chamber of a dry pipe valve; main and relayvalves normally cuttin'g ofi com-- munication between said chambers; a chamber including a movable wall and having a restricted inlet connected to receive air from said fire extinguishing system; with means for operatively' connecting said movable wall to the relay valve.

3. The combination of a casing having three chambers of which two are connected through a passage having a relatively reo a d pipe valve of three chambers of which the rst and second are connected by a relatively restricted passage; conduits from the air containing portion of a fire extinguishing system opening respectively into the secend and third chambers the third chamher having an outlet for. connection withthe intermediate chamber, of a dry pipevalve; with a valve normally closing the trolled-by the ex ansion of air in the first chamber for causing opening of said valve whenthe air pressure in the second chamber is suddenly reduced.

5. The combination in an accelerator for a' dry pipe valve of a casing having two chambers; a valve normally closing an opening between said chambers; a conduit leading from the. air. containing portion of a fire extinguishing system and also closed by said valve when it is in its closed position;'a second valve controlling the flow of air between said two chambers; with means for. causin the opening of said second valve when a su den reduction of pressure occurs in one of said chambers. 4

6. The. combination in an accelerator for a dry pipe valve of a casing having three chambers and providing a restricted passage between the first and second of said chambers; conduits connected to a source of air under pressure and entering the second and third chambers; a main valve normally closing an opening between the second and third chamber and at the same time closing the conduit entering the third chamber; a second valve controlling the flow of air from the second to the third chambers; and means actuatedby the expansion of air in the first chamber when a sudden reduction from pressure occurs 1n the second chamber, for

opening said second valve.

7 The combination in an accelerator for a dry pipe valve of a casing having three chambers and providing, a restricted passage between the first and second of said chambers; conduits connected to a source of air under 0nd and thir chambers; a main valve normally closing an opening between the second and third chambers and at the same time closing the conduit entering the third chamber; a second valve controlling the flow Of all from the second to the third chambers; and means actuated by the expension of air in the first chamber when a sudden reduction from pressure occurs in the second chamber for opening said second valve said means including a member movably'mounted between the first and second chambers and mechanically connected to the second valve. 8. The combination in an accelerator for a dry pipe valve of a. casing having'three chambers of which the first and second are connected by a restricted passage; an element movabl mounted between the first and second 0 ambers and yieldingly maintained in a definite position; two valves normally closing'opemngs between the second ressure and entering the secs dil and third chambers; a conduit opening into the third chamber and also normally closed by one of said latter valves; with means for causing the other of said latter valves to be opened when the movable element is actuated.

9. The combination in an accelerator for a dry pipe valve of a casing having a plurality of chambers of which one is connected to the intermediate chamber of the dry pipe valve; a conduit leading from the air containing portion of a fire extinguishing system; .a valve normally cutting off communication between two of the chambers of the casing and also closing said conduit; with means independent of said valve for causing opening of the same when a sudden reduction of pressure occurs in the casing.

10. The combination in an accelerator for a dry pipe valve of'a casing having at least two chambers of which one is connected to the intermediate chamber of a dry pipe valve; a conduit connected to the air containing portion of a fire extinguishing system and positioned to deliver air therefrom to said latter chamber of the casing; a valve normally preventing communication between said chambers and also normally closing said conduit; with means for causing such a reduction of pressure as will cause unseatlng of said valve when a sudden reduction'of pressure occurs in one of said chambers. i

11. The combination in an accelerator for a dry pipe valve of a chamber and a conduit both connected to a source ofair under pressure; a secondchamber at atmospheric pressure; a valve normally held seated by pre mure in the first chamber to close the conduit and out 01? communication between said chamberswith means for exhausting air from the first chamber to ermit unseating of said valve when a su den reduction of pressure occurs 1n said first chamber.

12. The combination in an accelerator for adry pipe valve of a chamber and a conduit both connected to a source of air under pressure; a second chamber at atmospheric pressure; a valve normally'held seated by pressure in the first chamber to close the ARTHUR C. ROWLEY. 

